Let good times roll with Princess Tiana at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

UPDATE: Times for Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen to meet their fans will be slightly different for the holiday crowds. From Dec. 19 through 24 and also Jan. 1 and 2, they will be in the glade at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4:45 p.m., 5:45 p.m. and 6:50 p.m. From Dec. 25 through 31, the royal couple will greet guests at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 4:30 p.m., 5:50 p.m. and 6:50 p.m.

In the spirit of opening weekend for The Princess and The Frog, we took the kids to see Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee! at the Magic Kingdom for the first time before the movie. I wondered if the show could live up to its great word-of-mouth, and it certainly did.

Thanks to fellow Theme Park Ranger Matt’s tips last week, we knew where to stand — and move to — for the best viewing. My little prince and princess were immediately interested when the dancers, musicians, Louis the alligator, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen paraded through Liberty Square on their way to board the Liberty Belle. It didn’t hurt that the dancers gave them Mardi Gras beads, either, which C and L proudly wore for the rest of the day.

We moved to the boardwalk to see the paddleboat portion of the show, and it was tough to find a spot. The Magic Kingdom was jam-packed Saturday, and it seemed as if almost everyone wanted to celebrate Disney’s newest princess. And with good reason: Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee! is engaging even if you don’t know the characters or the movie’s plot. The show is so colorful and the music so catchy, you can’t help but stop to watch.

Afterward, we walked over to the glade behind Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe, where visitors can meet Tiana and Naveen, who pose for photos and sign autographs. It was a comfortable, shady area, made more pleasant with the relocation of the smoking area.

Timing a visit to meet the royal couple can be a little tricky as they are there in between shows for 30-minute sessions. They are scheduled to be in the glade daily at 11:05 a.m., 1:05 p.m., 3:05 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee! is performed daily as 12:15, 2 and 3:45 p.m.

Tiana and Naveen personified Southern hospitality and didn’t let long lines and short sets disrupt their visits with guests. They were gracious about taking multiple photos with my kids and my daughter’s class teddy bear, who was staying with us for the weekend. The couple’s handler even pointed out a great spot nearby for my daughter to watch the afternoon parade while we were waiting. The experience was certainly what visitors hope for at Disney, and one that my daughter talked about afterward.

When we saw the movie Sunday, both kids recognized the songs from the Disney World show and were more than ready to sing along. Good thing the audience was mostly kids, too.

See Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee! for yourself in the video below.

For more of Princess Tiana, see her parade to the Liberty Belle, an abbreviated version of the show, and a meet-and-greet in the second video.